CHAR-KOOSTA
PUBLISHED BY CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES. FLATHEAD AGENCY, MONT. Vol. 2—No. 7 May, 1958
Father Taelman to Observe Diamond Jubilee on June 29
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(Editor's Note — The following story on Father Taelman is taken from the Sunday, June 22, 1958, issue of the Western Montana edition of The Register, the official Catholic Newspaper of the Diocese of Helena. We think that our Char-Koosta readers will agree that it is a fitting tribute to Father Taelman, one of the Indian's best beloved Blackrobe friends.)
ST. IGNATIUS — One Sunday June 29, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Rev. Louis Taelman, S. J., will observe the diamond jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood. Highlight of the observance will be a Mass of Thanksgiving offered by the veteran missionary in St. Ignatius Church here at 10 a.m.
Among those expected to be present for the occasion will be colorfully-garbed Indians, members of the Indian tribes whom Father Taelman has served for all but two of his 60 priestly years.
Born in Exaarde, Belgium, on April ;19, 1867, he lived only 15 miles from Ter-'monde, birthplace of the famed Father Pierre Dcsmet. "As a young boy I read 'the life of Father Desmet" says Father Taelman, "and it was this that inspired mc to dedicate my life to work among the Indians." When Father Joseph Cat-
aldo, S. J., surperior of the Indian missions in the west, came to his school in 1884, seeking prospective missionaries, he found an eager response in Louis Taelman.
Coming to St. Ignatius Mission in 1890 he taught at the Jesuit scholasticate then at the mission, although he was not yet ordained himself. After he had completed his studies for the priesthood at Woodstock, Md., he was ordained in Spokane by Bishop O'Dea on June 19, 1898. One of his first assignments was as pastor at Yakima, Wash., from 1899 to 1900. But since then most of his priestly labors have been among the Indians. For 27 years he has worked among the Flat-heads in the Helena Diocese, 15 with the Crow Indians of Eastern Montana, and 16 with the Spokane and Kalispclls of Eastern Washington.
From 1909 to 1913 Father Taelman was called on to become president of Gonzaga College, Spokane. Even during his time, he took charge of the Kalispcll Indians near Osick, Wash., since he was the only priest about who could speak their language.
Between 1940 and 1952 Father Taelman was again in charge of the Kalispcll and
Flathead Ceremonials Tell of Indian Life
In the days and years past many of us don't realize the passing of many of our fullblood Indians, with them went the teachings of much of our Indian ceremonials. The Flathead Indians of the old ages did many feasts as spiritual celebrations asking the great unseen for abundant crops of wild berries, Bitter-roots, wild onions, Camas, Herbs for medical pruposes. For better fur bearing animals, more deer and elk. To them this type of food and medicines was priceless, because that those were the types of food that their parents had taught them to eat. Much of the furs and hides of deer and elk were tanned and smoked for buckskins as the Flathead were always known to be great hunters. They studied the wild game habits, many stories had been told by those old timers of their hunting days, the strange behavior and actions of birds and wild game that they had seen, and many of the old generations of our tribe believed that certain powers of the great unseen were given to certain wild animals. From this kind of study and experience with wild animals and certain birds is where many of the full blood Indians originated certain gestures in their war dancing and also did special designs in their bead work, especially on beaded vests that were made as parts of War Dance Cus-oms. As the Pow-Wow season comes on here on the Flathead Reservation, many people especially the white visitor does not understand the great importance that these dances arc to the full blood Indian. The old time war Dancer of the Flatheads considered many of the Indian Dance's as rather a spiritual gathering for celebrating the dances that showed the Dancer doing special gestures that happened during their War's. Jump fights, their hunting, and contacts with certain wild life.
Spokanes. By then nearly 80, Father averaged 1,500 miles a month as he took care of his Indian people.
Since 1952 he has been stationed again at St. Ignatius Mission. He is in familiar country — having served as superior of the mission for three terms. He serves as chaplain to the Holy Family Hospital providing for spiritual needs of the sisters and patients, despite his 91 years. Arthritis has slowed him up some, but with special permission he is allowed to be seated for portions of the Mass which he offers daily. When there is need, on great feast days, he hears confessions in the mission church for several hours at a time.
Looking back over his 60 years in the priesthood, Father Taelman will only say "They have been very busy years, happy years." He can recount, in his still powerful voice, experiences of his younger days — with dangers in number from the elements, especially on distant sick calls. But he did not fear the Indians.
"I never ever had an Indian for an enemy," he says. The Indians have come to know his love for them through the years.
On June 29 these Red Men will join countless others, priests and people of the diocese and the Northwest, to pay tribute to a great priest and missionary. — (Father James White.)